Explosive-engine.



E. H. BELKNAP L J. W. SWARTZ.

EXPLOSIVE ENGINE. APPLGATION FILED SBPT.15. 1910. jyypggu y Patented Nov. 7, 1911` SHEETS -SHLL'I l.

E. H. BLKNAP @L J. W. SWRTZ. EXPLosIvE BNL m5.

APPLTION FILED SEPT. 15, li'li. l- I V Patenwl i911.

'2 SHEETS` SHEET 2.

C@d N narran sTATEs vrarinvr ovarica.

ELLSWORTH H. BELKNAP ANI) JGHN W. SWARIZ. F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNORS T0 GOLDEN, -BELINAP ANI) SWARTZ COMPANY, 0F DETROIT, MIGHIGANQYA. COB- ronarron or MICHIGAN.

EXPLOSIVE-ENGINE nooasae.'

Specicaton of. Letters Patent.

Patented Nov.. '7, 1911.

Application led September 15, 1910. Serial No. 582,137.-

the United States of America, residing at.

Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new, and useful Improvements in Explosive-Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference'being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

In explosive engines of the multi-cylinder type .and conventional arrangement it` is necessary vto have separate valve operating cams for each cylinder and cranks on the main shaft for each piston.

This inyention relates to a multi-cylinder explosive motor wherein the parts are so disposed that each clank ofthe crank shaft receives impulse from two cylinders and where onecam operates the valves of each pair of jfcylinders.

The invention 'consists in the matters hereinafter set forth, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

lntheidrawings, Figure l is a view partly in cross section and partly in end elevation of a motor that embodies features of the invention; Fig. 2 is a view in detail of a valve iinger; and Fig. 3 is a' sectional view on the line er1-:c of Fig. 1.

As herein indicated a closed crank casing lsuppo'rts series of cylinders 2 disposed in pairs at substantially right angles to each other. Connecting rods 3 of each pair of cylinders are secured to a single crank pin a of a main shaft -5 that is journaled in the crank case 1. A cam shaft V6' formed with cam projections 16 is journaled on the crank` i case between the oppositely disposed sets of cyl1nders,'over an opening 7 into the vcrank case. Transverse walls 8 bridgeA the opening and form supports for bearings for thecam shaft, said Walls being preferably mpvably secured on the crank case over the saidopeiing therein, said cover forming a housing lforv the 'cani `shaft with Iwhich the shaft is removed when the cover is taken olf.

` Said c ver is also'nrovided with guide apertures lnwhich tappet rods 10 whose inner ends bear against the cam shaft 6 in the path to move spring-returned valve ste 11 to open both inlet and. exhaust valves "o one set ofthe cam projections thereon, reiiprocatey the crank shaft of cylinders. inlet and vexhaust valves of the companion set of cylinders,

Valve stems 12 operating both bear against .plungers 13 radially disposed in regard to the cam shaft plane of rotation of the cam projections 16 thereon, which cams are designed to lift the tappets l0 of the companion cylinders to the other side of the cam shaft.' The inner ends of the fingers 14 have transverse journals 17 preferably formed integral with their shank.

portions which journals lie in bearings formed by registering semi-cylindrical grooves formed in the mating faces of the Wall 19 ofthe casing 1, and an inwardly extending lange 2O on the cover 9, which iange is slotted inwardly from its down edge to permit the shanks of the fingers to extend therethrough, said slots formin guides for the fingers to prevent'the latera movement thereof and hold the fingers in alinelnent with their cams. The disposition of the cam points and of the tappet rods 10 and finger ends l5 in relation to said cams and to each other depends upon the number of cylinders employed. lf the motor be supplied with eight cylindersA as' shown in the drawings, which it is desiredV to re in series, it is obviously necessary that the inlet valves be opened one-eighth of a revolution of the cam shaft apart and that the exhaust valves be similarly operated.' Accordingly the parts are so arranged that one of the valve tappets 10 for operating one of the valves of one cylinder of a pair, is first raised by the cam point in whose plane of rotation it lies and then the valve finger operating the tappet of the corresponding valveof the companion cylinder of the pair, is engaged .and lifted by said cam'.-4 when said cam has nade one-eighth of a -turn beyond its point of contact with theftappet. In av motor of the four cycle type and of this construction having eight cylinders, the four cam projections for operating the eight inlet valves of the cylinders are obviously set one` (juarter of a revolution apart, the four cams or the exhaust valves being similarly arranged, and vthe camv shaft 1s .driven from V l inthe usual manner at one half the speed of said crank shaft, hy two;

toone gears 18 indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The employment of any other number of cylinders, necessitates a corresponding spacing of the tappets of one cylinder of each pair from the Contact ends of the fingers ofthe other cylinder of the pair.

The splash system of lubrication is used and the lubricant stored in the bottom of the casing is thrown by the cranks through the opening 7 on to the cam shaft and adjacent parts thereby affording a sure and simple method of keeping the parts well oiled. One feature of this arrangement is `the perfect balance obtainable as any number of cylinders may be connected with the crank shaft and fired in proper timed relation by proper arrangement of the cams, tappets and lever fin-gers. Another feature is the simplicity of the valve` mechanism wherein one cam operates like valves 0f a pair of cylinders.y Another advantage 'is the coupling of the pistons of a pair of cylinders to a single crank pin whereby the weight and number of oscillating parts is reduced. Inasmuch as the cam shaft and housing may be bodily removed, the shaft together with adjacent parts may be easily inspected or replaced if needed. The disposition of the fingers with their elongated journals insures proper action as they can? not shift laterally and the bearing surfaces are so large in respect to the movement, that they are' held constantly in alinement with their cams.

Obviously, changes in the details of construction may be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention.

We claim as our invention. A

l. A multi-cylinder explosive engine comprising a base, a plurality of cylinders-on the base arranged 1n pairs and the cylinders of each pair disposed in angular relation to each other, a crank shaft journaled inthebase having a single crank for each p air of cylinders, a cam shaft journaled on the base parallel to the crank shaft between the cylinders of each pair, a cam on the shaft for each`pair of cylinders, a cover de- 'taehably secured on the base lover the crank shaft and provided with radially disposed guide apertures parallel to the res ectiveaxes of the cylinders of each pair o cylinders, atappet rod for one cylinder of each pair'ad'apted to be reciprocated in one of said guide apertures by direct contact with the cam, a plunger for the companion cylinder of each pair adapted -to be reciprocated in the Vcompanion guide aperture of the cover, and a finger for each pair of cylinders journaled at its inner end between the casing and cover and bearing at its outer end on the cam. shaft in the plane of rotation of the cam and arranged to lift the plunger.

2. A multi-cylinder explosive engine comprising a base, a plurality of cylinders on the base arranged in pairs and the cylinders of each pair disposed in angular relation to each other, a crank shaft in the base having a single crank for eachpair of cylinders, a cam shaft journaled on the casing between the cylinders of the pairs )arallel to the shaft, a cam on the cam shaflt for each pair of cylinders, a cover detachably secured on the casing over the caln shaft and provided with guide apertures each substantially )'arallel to the axis of each cylinder in the plane of rotation of a cam, a finger whose lnner end is journaled in mating half bearings formed in the meeting faces of the cover and base and whose outer end bears on the cam shaft in the plane of rotation of a cam, a valve tappet rod for one cylinder of each pair reciprocable in a uide aperture of the cover, and a plunger for a companion cylinder reciprocable in the companion guide aperture of the cover with its inner end resting on a finger between the ends thereof.

3. A multi-cylinder explosive engine comprising a base, a plurality of cylinders on the base arranged in pairs and the cylinders of each pair disposed in angular relation to each other, a crank shaft in the base having a single crank for each pair of cylinders, a cam shaft -journaled on the casing between the cylinders of the pairs parallel to the shaft, a cam on the shaft for each pair of cylinders, a cover detachably secured on the casing over the shaft and provided with guide apertures each substantiall parallel to the axis of an adjacent cylin' er in the plane of rotation of a cam, a finger whose inner end is Journaled in mating half bearings formed in the meeting faces of the cover and base and whose outer end bears on the cam shaft in the plane of rotation of a cam, a valve tappet rod for one cylinder of each pairv reciprocable in a guide aperture of the cover, and a lunger for a companion cylinder reciproca le in the companion guide aperture of the cover with its inner end resting on a finger between the ends thereof, the base being apertured adjacent the cam shaft.

4. In a multi-cylinder explosive engine, a base, a crank shaft journaled therein, a pair of cylinders secured thereon in angular relation to each other, a cam shaft journaled on the base between the adjacent portions of the cylinders parallel to the crank shaft, a single crank on the crank shaft for a pair of cylinders, a colif'er detachably secured on the casing over the crank shaft and provided with guide apertures each substantially parallel to a cylinder, a cam on the cam shaft, a tappet rod for one cylinder reciprocable in the guide aperture of the cover with its inner end bearing against the cam shaft in the plane of rotation of the cam, a finger oscillatory in 'the cover in the plane of' rotation of the cam provided with journals at In testimony whereof We alfix our signatures 1n presence of two witnesses.

ire inner end lying in mating half bearings formed 1n the meeting faces of the base and cove/rend adapted lio hear zit-its outer end f 4 ELLSVVORTH H. BELKNAP. on hevozun shaft in the path of motion of l T l f the cam, nndfa plunger for the companion JOHYVV- SVARTA.

ffyimder reciproeable in a guide aperture of vWitnesses: A ehe cover Wlth its inner end `resting on the ANNA M. Dome, finger between the ends thereof. AOTTO F. BARTHEL. 

